James huber



l. HUBER.

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION man JULY 10. 1911.

1,314,656. Patented Sept. 2,1919.

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/6" 6 gwmmtoz a E M %M a v mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC] JAMES HUBER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLV ANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LI OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

SUBMARINE Minn.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of means for securing the mine and anchor together and for. securing the sounding ball to the anchor, which means is operable under the influence of the buoyancy of the mine to release the sounding ball and subsequently to release the anchor from the mine.

The further object of the invention resides in the provision of means for preventing the release of the anchor from the mine or the sounding ball fromv the anchor until the mine dips over. the curves of the launching rails, which means is atthis time automatically rendered inoperative.

Referring to the drawings showing the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2' is, an enlarged elevation of the invention, and

Fig. 3 is-a sectional view of means for securing the mine and anchor together.

In the drawing, a portion of a mine 1 and a portion of an anchor 2 are disclosed.

The means for securing ,the mine and anchor together is somewhat similar to that illustrated and described in my co-pending app7lication, Serial No. 17 3,182, filed June 6, 191 which is pivoted at 4 between ears 5, the latter being formed on a plate 6 which is secured to the side of the anchor by suitable means, such as bolts 7. The upper end of this cylinder 3 is closed by a socket member 8, which is provided with a socket 9 in which a connecting element 10 operates. This connecting element is, atone end, connected to the turnbuckle 11 of the mine cable and is provided with a pair of legs 12 which extend into the socket 9 but may be withdrawn therefrom, as will later appear. These legs are provided at their lower ends Specification of Letters Patent.

Philadelphia and the ber 10 is held in engagement with 15111 Figure 1 is a fragmental view of the mine This means includes a cylinder 3 Patented Sept. 2,

Application filed July 10, 1917. Serial No. 179.735.

with toe portions 13 which engage th end of a piston rod 14, which carrie lower end a piston 15, the latter beir able in the cylinder 3. The connectin rod 14 during the initial movement piston in the cylinder but is perm disengage the rod after the legs same pass out of the socket 9, in a similar to that described in the abo tioned co-pending application. The 1 of movement of the piston in the 3 is governed by fluid pressure wit cylinder. Pivoted at .16 to the lowei the plate 6 is a pelican hook 17 v adapted to support the sounding ba the anchor. The upper end of this hook is arranged to bear againsttl end of a slide 19 at 20, which slide able between the ears 5 on theplat cars 21 formed at the' upper end plate, the slide being guided by roi carried by the respectiveears. Th end of the slide is provided with a larly extending finger 23 which projr a recess 24 between the legs 12 of l necting. member 10, the recess being are within the socket. When this is free to move upwardly, the buoy the mine will cause such movement 1 at the same time cause the legs 15 connectin 'member 10 to move ou socket 9. Ihecontinuing relative m of the mine and anchor will cause 12 to separate and permit the fing pass between and from the'lower en same so that :it will be entirely .dis therefrom and the anchor permitted the mine entirely. Of 'course, u initial upward movement of the slid before the connecting member 10 le socket 9, the pelican hook 17 is dis from the slide and this disengagcnc mits the hook to drop about it whereby the sounding ball 18 will be The release of the sounding ball the entire disengagement of the m the anchor, will permit the soundin drop into its operative position s( will thereafter be effective to accon function.

It is, of course, desirable to pre release of the connecting member to the dipping of the mine over the curvedends of the launching rails, so that the mine and anchor will be ocked together and the sounding ball will be locked to the anchor. To this end, I have provided a latch, 25 which, in the form of the invention mus, trated, is pivoted at 26 to the upper end of the pelican hook 17 and is located between the furcations of the same but which'may be pivoted to the anchor or by an element carried by the same. In the form illustrated,

trated, is secured to the plate 6 and bears.

against the upper end of the latch=member 25 above its pivoted point. It is to'be under-.

5- stood, that the inside edge of the pelican hook 17 is formed with a depression 31, in which the ring 32 of the sounding ball 18 is located prior to the launching of the mine. The location of the ring 32 in this depression 31 makesit impossible forthe ringto engage the lower end of the latch member 25 and consequently, the accidental disengagement of the latch member from the slide 19 will be obviated.

It is to be understood that when the mine of the sounding ball will cause the Imovement of the latch member 25 aboutits pivot 26 against the action of the'spring 3O, so

that the bill of the latch will be disengagedfrom the projection 29 on the slide 19, and

the slide will befree to move when-the-mine strikes the water. As above described, when the mine strikes the water, the buoyancy of the mine will cause the slide 19 to move up- .wardly so that the pelican hook 17 will be disengaged and the sounding ball will drop to its operative position and sothat subsequently, the finger 23 of the slide 19 will be disengaged from the connecting member 10 and the anchor and mine consequently free to separate entirely.

It is of course to be understood, that the exact construction of the connection between the anchor and the mine is not at all essential, for the construction illustrated in arable connection, the parts of separate under the action of th of the mine and only after tlll ball has been released.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a mine, its anchor and its soundi means for attaching the ball to 1 means for securing the attaching operative position and means for securing means.

2. The combination with a mine, its anchor and its soundi means-for attaching the ball to means for. securing the attachin operative position and-means for last mentioned means, the ballvl able, when the mine is tipped on ing rails, to release the last month The. combination with a mine, its anchor and its soundi means for securing the I anchor together including a pair of se] ments,v means for attaching th ball toithe anchor, means opera of-said separable elements for the attaching means, anda.mea1 venting the/operation of the last means until themine is tipped.

4.: The combination with a mine, its anchor and its soundi means for securing the anchol together'including a pair of se: ments, means for attaching th ball to-the anchor, means opera of: said separable elements for the attachingmeans and means ling the last mentioned means.

5. The combination with: a mine, its -an'chor and itssound: means for" securing the anchoi together including a pair of se ments, means for attaching tl ball to the anchor, means oper: of said separable elements for the attaching means, and meal matically controlling the opera last mentioned means.

6. The combination with a mine, itsanchor and its sound meansfor detachably securing and mine together, means for the sounding ball on the anchor for preventing the release of from themine until the sounr released from the anchor.

7. The combination with a mine, its" anchor and its sound means for detachably securing and mine together, means for the sounding ball on the anchoi operated-by the soundin ball ing-the release of the anghor fr4 until the sounding ball is releas anchor.

8. The combination with a submarine mine, its anchor and its sounding ball, of means for securing the anchor and mine together including a pair of separable elements, an element pivoted on the anchor for supporting the sounding ball, means connected with one of said separable elements and engaging said pivoted element to prevent the movement of the latter to release the ball and means for engaging the last mentioned means to prevent the separation of the separable elements until the mine is tipped.

9. The combination with a submarine mine, its anchor and its sounding ball, of

means for securing the anchor and mine together, including a pair of separable elements, an element pivoted on the anchor for supporting the sounding ball, means connected With one of said separable elements and engaging said pivoted element to prevent the movement of the latter to release the ball and means controlled by the sounding ball for engaging the last mentioned means to prevent the separation of the separable elements until the mine is tipped.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES HUBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

